Uruk

Uruk, also known as Erech, was an ancient city of Sumer. It was founded by Enmerkar in 4000 BC, and it was the mythological capital city of the epic hero Gilgamesh. It expanded until 3200 BC, and a bureaucracy, military, and stratified society developed; at its height in 2900 BC, Uruk had a population of between 50,000 and 80,000 residents. It was prominent in the national struggles of the Sumerians against the Elamites up to 2004 BC, in which it suffered severely and lost its importance. It was finally abandoned following the Islamic conquest of the 7th century AD.